I’m one of those people who loves organization. I like to sort and cull and question. Having too much of anything makes it hard to find the things I really love. Every so often I go through the bookmarks in my folder of Favorite Photographers. Sometimes my taste has changed and I delete a link because the work doesn’t resonate with me. Sometimes the link is broken and taken over by some weird stuff or advertisements. And sometimes I spend an afternoon falling in love with photography all over again.
I came across a bookmark for the work of Jodie Hulden, and I’ll admit her name didn’t seem familiar at first. I opened the link and quickly realized why I had chosen to follow her work. Her projects, Left Behind, and Seeing Silence, are deeply moving and beautiful. Those were the images that drew me to her. But as I looked further, I came across her groupings of 4 photos, arranged like the panes of window, Quatrains. The photos were all taken during the seasons of Covid-19, in alleys, as Jodie continued her work while social distancing.
This has been the blessing of being a photographer. Despite the many restrictions, we’ve been able to carry on . . . making photographs in one way or another . . . poetic and contemplative.
I find myself doing the same.